Members of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) took on the ruling Samajwadi Party Government on recent hike in power tariffs in the State Council and later staged a walk-out over the issue after they failed to get a convincing reply.
Raising the issue of recent power hike during Question Hour, leader of BJP Group in the legislative Council, Hriday Narain Dixit accused the Government of not trying to check power theft and rampant corruption in the Department. Instead, the Government is putting the entire pressure on the shoulders of common consumer, he added. Dixit said that it is also an irony, that the public had to pay even when they were not getting proper supply.
Replying to the question, state minister for power in the UP government, Yaseer Shah, said that the decision of hike has been taken by the UP Power Regulatory Authority and that the government had done every bit to improve the situation and also brought down the line loss. Shah also blamed the Central government for the power mess claiming that the Centre was not providing them full support to tackle the grim power situation.
Agitated with the reply, BJP members raised slogan against the government and staged a wall out. The BJP members also raised the issue of brutal lathi charge on members of Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha, who were brutally thrashed by the police during agitation in front of Vidhan Sabha on Monday afternoon.
The BJP leaders demanded a discussion on the issue claiming that the matter is related to right to freedom of staging a protest, but when the Chairman of the House refused and asked to take the issue on Tuesday, all the BJP members raised voice against the government and came in well after which the House was adjourned for one hour. BJP members also raised the issue of poor services in government run Primary Health Centre and Community Health Centre on which the Chairman directed to take appropriate measures.
Bahujan Samaj Party members also raised the issue of deteriorating law and order situation while demanding action against cops involved in custodial death at Saharanpur. Raising the issue on the floor of the House, leader of Opposition, Naseemudeen Siddiqui, accused the government of not making arrest of the policemen, named in the custodial death of lakshman Singh, who died on August 17 last year in Saharanpur. Siddiqui said that even now the family members of victim were receiving threatening calls. later refusing for discussion on the issue, Chairman, directed the government to ensure stern action against the accused and also review the decision on amount of money given as compensation.
Naseemudeen Siddiqui also raised the issue of forcible removal of houses of Dalits in Topkhana Basti at Rampur, even when they were residents of the area for last over 50-years and also had proper ration cards, voter I-card, electricity connection etc in support of their domicile. Siddiqui also cited a Government Order, issued by Mayawati led previous government on January 15, 2009, in this regard under which they (BSP Government) decided to give the ownership right of the houses in which any poor, irrespective of caste or religion, was living before the issue of the said GO in government land (slums and gram samaj) and that the area is less then 30 square meters.
He alleged that when SP government claimed that they were committed for welfare of the poors, the houses of hapless persons belonging to down-trodden section of the society have been removed in Rampur. later leader of House, Ahmed Hassan tried to defend his government on the issue but in absence of complete information, Chairman directed him to appear with full details on Tuesday and reply on the issue.